Archiv der Tagungen

This international conference examines the legacy of Schocken Books as a transatlantic Jewish publishing house. Contributions from scholars in Europe, Israel, and the United States trace Schocken’s impact on literary culture in Germany, the U.S., and Israel.

The program highlights Salman Schocken’s (1877–1959) publishing vision, including his emphasis on design and translation in shaping cultural identity. His activities embraced the idea of the modern Jewish book. After 1933, they responded to the destruction of Jewish life in Europe and were part of the linguistic and cultural dynamics of Jewish migration, nation-building, and transnational literary culture. Case studies will explore Schocken's contributions to the canon of modern Jewish thought and the international reception of poets and thinkers such as S. Y. Agnon. The conference also considers the broader historical context, discussing the publisher's impact on the American book market and postwar Jewish publishing — extending to contemporary debates and interventions by writers like Joshua Cohen.

Organized in cooperation by the University of Münster, the Dubnow Institute Leipzig, and the Deutsches Literaturarchiv Marbach, and funded by the Lichtenberg Professorship of Kai Sina, the conference combines keynote lectures, case studies, and archival discussions. 

Programm

Funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.